


TRUST SECRETS (Source of noodles)

by marksondaejae



Category: GOT7
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Funny, M/M, whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 07:37:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9225176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marksondaejae/pseuds/marksondaejae
Summary: Jackson is a boy who always dreamed of becoming a journalist, but faith keeps popping challenges in his way. Mark is just a boy in love who has a secret.(He secretly adores watching birds.)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amateurish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amateurish/gifts).



“This is not working,” Jinyoung places a magazine on the table, scanning everyone’s eyes in the little room that they call an office. He looks very scary, Jackson may say. “Bambam, those pictures are blurry.” He says glaring at the said boy. “Next time try to do better ones.”

“I can’t, I just barely managed to capture those.” Bambam defends himself. “Last time you told me that I shouldn’t use Hyuna as the model anymore because the people are sick of her pictures.”

“Jackson,” Jinyoung continues moving on to the next. “No one cares about Mrs. Im, next time interviews a person the students want to read about.”

“In my defense, all the students want is to read about Mark Tuan and he never will give us an interview.” Jackson defends himself.

“Exactly, why do you think those pictures are blurry?” Bambam shouts. “I had to hide in the storage room to capture that.”

“Youngjae, good job with the dance rubric,” Jinyoung smiles and pats the boy head in an affectionate way.

When Jackson signed up for the High School Magazine, he never imagined that will be this hard. Firstly, Jackson trough that writing an article is easy or getting some interviews from some teachers, but now it seems harder. People don’t want to read about teachers, people don’t give a fuck about grades or their ranking, all they want to read are gossips and some more gossips.

“If the next number will be as poorly as this one, the headmaster said that will take the magazine out, so guys, we need to work our butts off,” Jinyoung says. You can see the sadness in his eyes, first because he is the leader and second because this is a legacy that he must carry. His brother was the leader before him.

“But what should we do then?” Bambam asks, crossing his arms. “We are short of people who are willing to help us.”

“Listen here,” Jinyoung motions with his hands for everyone to get closer. “Yugyeom, you write an article about this year winter play, use last year pictures or pictures from this year practice and please write an announce about how we are taking people in our editing team.”

“Yes sir,” Yugyeom replies.

“Bambam, I think we should stop chasing Mark Tuan and use blurry pictures for now,” Jinyoung says smirking at his own idea that Jackson knows that will be something out of the contest. “Let your imagination grow and dress some girls, don’t just take pictures of how they dress because they already have those clothes.”

“Ok, I’ll try my best, but I need to borrow some clothes from your sister, I don’t own girls clothes.”

“I’ll talk with her today then,” Jinyoung says turning to Jackson. “You, my best friend have to get an interview from Mark Tuan.”

“What, why me?”

“Because you are Jackson,” Jinyoung smiles, clapping his hands together. “If you can’t then at least get one from those two puppies that follow him.”

“You mean his friends,” Jackson says shaking his head. “Especially the one who is in your class and calls you cutie all the time, right?”

“Anyway, if not at least try to write an article about him with lots of information about his personal life.”

“Yes, of course,” Jackson replies. This will be hard as hell and depressing considering that Jackson information on Mark is poor.

“That’s all, the rest I’ll do myself,” Jinyoung says taking his bag from the desk. “Now go, go, you have two weeks.”

 

 

Jackson sighs taking glances at Mark Tuan from time to time. What’s so great about him that everyone likes him? Why are they interested in him?

All he knows about Tuan is that Mark is rich and has one friend. The rest is a mystery. Well, at least for Jackson. Should he just go and ask for an interview? It wouldn’t be the first time someone will try anyway. Jinyoung tried three times and never got one.

“So, any plan on asking him to an interview?” Bambam asks, placing his tray of food on the table.

“I am thinking of it, but I guess is safer to follow him around and write about a day of his life,” Jackson says, looking behind him at the school football team star. Because Mark has the looks and is the best of the football team is so damn popular among the high school. “I don’t think he will say anything helpful on the interview.”

“Like he will give you one,” Bambam smirks and starts to dig in his food.

Yes, it won’t be easy but he will do it, for the sake of the School Magazine.

 

 

“Ok Jackson, you can do it.” He says taking a deep breath and starts the car that he barely can take care of since he is short of money.

In no time, he sees himself in front of Mark Tuan house; his car parked two streets away. He heard about the big mansion at the end of the street, but Jackson never took any interest in looking over it. True to the stories, this house is big, that big that will let your mouth hanging open.

First, he can’t just ring the bell and tell Mark that he is here, so the second option is to climb that three that he sees and let himself in the hands of God. Who knows what is behind the big gate.

With a lot of effort and sweat, Jackson finally he sees himself on earth again. A feeling like this is a blessing.

Where he is, Jackson doesn’t know exactly. Around him, there are trees and some more trees. He takes a deep breath and starts to navigate between them until finally, he spots the big house that he had seen outside the gates.

“What the hell is this place?” He asks himself as he walks beside a wall, probably the back one. “You can get lost and never find your way out of here.” He shivers at the thought.

When he was about to turn the corner, a voice stopped him. His heart is beating fast and his hands are sweating around his phone. Yes, he is holding his phone for emergency calls. Jackson takes a look around and finally, he is brave enough to pick his head around the corner to see Mark because honestly, he knows that voice very well.

“What the hell?” He whispers looking around. Mark is nowhere to see, but Jackson knows what he heard earlier. When the voice starts to talk again, just then Jackson noticed Mark into a tree. There is a big tree, with one of its branch long and strong enough to travel from the tree until a window. Mark is sitting on it with one of his legs hanging low and looking at that window.

“It’s alright, I’ll call you back.” Mark voices out as he closes the phone he was holding at his right ear.

Jackson opens his phone at the camera with lots of effort because his hands are sweating, but stops in midair when Mark talks again.

“You know that I can see you, right?”

Jackson looks around than at himself and back at Mark. The older is still there on the tree, his eyes at the window. Yah, he can’t talk with me. Jackson laughs and raises his hand again to snap a picture.

“Yes, with you I am talking.”

Jackson lowers his phone. He looks up at Mark and then around him. There is no one in sight that Mark can talk to. Is Mark talking to an imaginary friend? That would be super-duper ultra-strange.

Jackson shakes his head and looks at Mark again. After all, Mark can do as many strange things as he wants, Jackson doesn’t really care. All he wants right now is to save the school magazine.

His phone starts to vibrate into his hands. “Why is Jinyoung calling me?” He rejects the call and gets to his mission, but this time when he looks up he meets a pair of eyes looking down at him. The bad part, the pair of eyes is too close. He holds his breath, waiting for the person to say something. In the worst case scenario, Mark will call the cops.

“What are you doing here?” Mark asks, offering a small smile. Well, isn’t he all charming with a stranger who invaded his yard?

“I just, you-“Jackson rubs the back of his head while he feels the heavy phone into his other hand. “I just heard a lot about you and I wanted to see where you live.”

“Oh really?” Mark looks a bit taken aback. “I thought you wanted an interview or something too.”

“Me? Interview? Of course not.” Jackson laughs waving his hand in dismissing, probably looking like an idiot.

“Oh, now that you’ve seen my house, I guess I have to show you the exit since you climbed the gates just to see the house.” Mark has a glint of something in his eyes as he speaks with Jackson.

Jackson is taken aback by the older and starts to follow Mark, who has a slow walk. “Won’t you call the police?” He finds himself asking.

Mark turns at him with a smile on his face. “To be honest you are the first who went so far to climb a wall just to see where I live, but I’ve seen you at school, so I guess you are one of those crazy fans of mine.”

Jackson shakes his head at Mark’s kindness, let’s say. “Actually, I am not one of those crazy fans, someone sent me here.” He lied. He doesn’t want to be in Mark’s memory as one of his stalkers from school. He doesn’t know why it is so important this. “I am sorry, ok?”

“Ok then, if you say so,” Mark says continuing to walk on a path, probably toward the exit.

Jackson doesn’t want to leave yet, not when he climbed that damn gate just to get a glimpse of the older. He knows that the next time he won’t be as lucky as now. Mark seems kind enough to overlook this little incident, so Jackson won’t let the moment to pass. “If is not much to ask, can I get a glass of water?”

Mark looks surprised when he turned at Jackson. He opens his mouth to reply but settles at nodding his head waving to Jackson to follow him.

 

 

Jackson sighs in content when he arrived in his safe room. Thanks, God, his mom hasn’t seen him shaken up. He throws his bag into his bed and runs a shaky hand on his hair. He still is in a daze by Mark attitude. If Jackson was in Mark’s shoes probably he will have called the cops and thrown a tantrum, but he isn’t Mark. He is just Jackson.

When he remembers that he took some pictures of Mark’s big living room while the older went to bring the water Jackson smiles in victory. Something is something.

He jumps up and down and starts to dig into his bag for his phone.

There is no phone into his bag. Jackson goes looking again and when he realizes that he put the phone on a table to drink the water, he wants to facepalm himself.

Now he has to ask Mark for it tomorrow at school.

 

 

“Where the hell is your phone?” Jinyoung asks the moment Jackson puts a foot into the school magazine office. “I called you million times last night.”

Jackson massages his temple with his fingers and glares at Jinyoung. “I didn’t come here to be shouted at; I just came take a paper I forgot yesterday,” Jackson replies. He takes a folder from one of the office tables and leaves. He needs a plan to approach Mark and ask for his phone.

He stalks, yes; you can call it that, Mark the whole day. He sees Mark walking with his friend trough the school cantina doors, he sees Mark borrowing a book from the library, he sees Mark taking a call, he sees Mark all day but he is too chicken to actually go and approach him.

Currently, he is watching Mark waving goodbye to his friend at the end of the day and turns to go back into the school. Jackson hides behind a wall, to let Mark pass by, but with no success.

“You know, I can see you, right?” Mark's voice echoes into the empty school.

Jackson hits his head on the wall and slowly, he walks out from his hiding. “Sorry, but I forgot my phone at your place and you see, it’s an important matter and I need it back.” He rubs the back of his head, looking down at his feet. He isn’t sure why is he acting this way around Mark.

“Yes, that’s right, “Mark chuckles and Jackson raises his head to look at him. “But you should have told me this morning, it wasn’t necessary to follow me all day.”

“Did you see me?” Jackson dares to asks, looking how Mark’s eyes sparkle with something. “I am sorry, but you always are surrounded by fans and I didn’t want to be mistaken for one of them.”

“Anyway, I have your phone in my locker.” Mark waves his hand for Jackson to follow. “It rang all night; you have a persistent boyfriend there.”

Jackson wants to die in embarrassment right now. “That’s not my boyfriend, it’s just a friend, and he signed like that in my phone to annoy someone.” Jackson doesn’t know why he wants to clarify this misunderstanding.

“I see, well.” Mark stops in front of his locker and opens it. He takes Jackson’s phone from it and gives it back to him. “You won me a meal for bringing it back to you.”

“What?”

“What? You don’t eat?” Mark laughs, closing his locker. “Are you a vampire? Should I run for my life now?”

Jackson shakes his head, trying to recover. “Thank you,” He waves his phone putting it in his backpack. With one last look, he turns around leaving Mark watching him.

“Ok, that was strange,” Jackson whispers into nothingness as he closes the school doors after him. “Mark is really strange.”

 

 

“I am not doing this anymore, he is weird.” Jackson pleads his case at Jinyoung. “He is really weird,”

“But he has a good sense of fashion,” Bambam adds sipping from his strawberry milkshake. “Unfortunately, I can’t use him again for that rubric, plus the entire pictures all damn blurry.”

“Do you want to save the magazine or not? Do you want to get into a good college or not?” Jinyoung brings back all the things Jackson said before. “Jackson, you need the credit for the scholarship.”

“I know,” Jackson lets his head fall on the table to meditate.

He knows that this work is nothing compared to what college will bring, but he has this off feeling about Mark. In a way, Mark seems an alright kid, but Jackson is afraid that he will discover something big about him and he won’t be able to publish that because of his feelings.

Jackson is a good guy, and he isn’t sure if he wants to bring someone down just because he wants to get into a good college.

“Ok, back to work, alright?” Jinyoung smiles at them and shows them the exit.

Jackson pushes back all his toughs and leaves in search of Mark. He feels like a stalker right now, to be honest; he is not far from it anyway.

After watching Mark for like five minutes, Jackson decided that this is called stalking and by doing it he won’t get any secret information. He has to look deeper than just follow Mark around, somewhere when no one looked.

In the end, he ends up searching the internet with Mark’s name, because no one did that (note the sarcasm there). Somewhere on a page should be something about him or not but Jackson is willing to try. Probably there won’t be anything, sue Jackson for trying.

He puts his earphones in, plays this new rapper that he started to like and starts in search of every little detail that could help him save the school magazine.

Long down on his list search, suddenly he feels something cold pressed to his check.

Jackson jumps a bit and looks to see what’s going on, meeting Mark’s eyes looking at him with a small smile on his face and a bottle of water in his hands. He takes out the earphones and looks questioning at the older.

“Here, I bought it for you,” Mark says, extending the bottle of water he was holding his hands.

Jackson looks a bit suspicious at him but accepts the bottle. Ok, he isn’t sure what’s going on but he ends up by patting the space beside him. Damn body acting before thinking. Can’t his own body cooperate with him in this?

Mark still has that smile on his face when he sits down. It kinds of creeps Jackson’s out, but who is Jackson to question it when Jackson himself can be creepy at times?

“I saw you here looking engrossed on whatever you do and I said that I should bring you a bottle of water,” Mark says looking up at the sky. “The sun shines so brightly today, even the shade of this tree can’t compare with the hotness.”

No shit Sherlock.

Jackson turns back at his laptop and puts in the menu bar his works, not wanting Mark to see any of it; not that he has any work on it, but is better to be safe. “Thank you, I guess.”

“When are you going to buy me a meal?”

Jackson’s head snaps at Mark, he totally forgot this stupid idea of the older. What meal anyway? “When do you want it, but nothing expensive because I am saving for college?” Jackson says once again before thinking.

“Really?” Mark happy face kind of leaves Jackson wondering if Mark is rich like he is supposed to be. Why is he being so happy by some meal? “Thank you so much. What about tonight?”

Hold on; hold on, this is kind of soon.

“Whatever,” the soon the better, he wanted to add, but that would be impolite and Jackson is always polite, ok? You can’t tell him otherwise.

“Can we get like noodles and go to the park and eat it?” Mark asks, and Jackson really wants to get out of there, but instead he puts a smile on his face and turns to Mark. He finds this conversation totally strange; isn’t like they are long term friends.

“Whatever you want doesn’t matter to me.”

“Ok then, see you after school.” Mark bounce up from his spot and leaves Jackson watching after him with no goodbye. But who cares, Jackson doesn’t expect any other contact with the football captain after the meal.

Mark is plotting something, Jackson can just feel it, but who cares right now? All he needs is to save the magazine and get into a good college and far away from Korea. Isn’t like he doesn’t like here, but he wants to explore more of this world. And Mark craving for noodles is his last problem right now.

 

 

  
Jackson walks slowly side by side with Mark to the nearest store to buy noodles; if Mark wants noodles who is Jackson to say no to that?

Mark waited for Jackson in front of the school after classes and waved his hand like they are childhood friends. Really, Jackson never saw Mark so hyper before, not even when he won a football game.

“I never expected you to want noodles or any convince store food,” Jackson says as they walk. He is the talkative one in a group, and now staying silent is kind of new to him, so he decided to speak.

“I love noodles, but I don’t have the chance to eat it frequently.”

“Why not? Can’t you just ask for a cup of noodles if you have that big house and many people who take care of it?”

Jackson could hear Mark sigh even three foot apart before speaking. “I am not allowed to eat noodles, it gets me swollen and I won’t look presentable.”

Jackson isn’t sure if he heard right, so he turns to look at Mark. The other has his eyes locked to the pavement walking like someone put the world on his shoulders. He practically looks like a kicked puppy.

“What?” He gasps like a fish out of the water. “Noodles are the best thing that humans invented.”

“Easy for you to say when no one has expectations for you.” Mark looks long at him, and Jackson feels kind of threatened so he prefers to look front, just in case he will hit something on his way not that Mark gaze is kind of making him sweat.

“You know,” Jackson begins “people has expectation from me too, but they let me make my own chooses because they trust me.”

“I guess you are right,” Mark says taking a step closer to Jackson. “They don’t trust me.”

Ok, Jackson didn’t want to go in that part of what he said; he just wanted to make a point but apparently, Mark takes it too personally.

“Anyway, I see that you are different,” Mark says putting an arm around Jackson’s shoulder.

Jackson on the other side, he doesn’t know what to say or do. Preferably, he should shake Mark’s arm off, but strangely he finds it comfortable, so he ends by just walking alongside Mark.

Somehow, Jackson finds comfort in Mark’s words as well. He doesn’t know how Mark sees him or why he said what he said, but in a way, it’s just awesome that someone barely knows him and already has a good impression. Not that Jackson is a bad guy or anything, but he tends to talk without thinking or doing extra things in some circumstances. With Mark, he is more calm, more attentive at his words, like he is most afraid that Mark will see the real him and will be disappointed in what he sees. Not that he cares of what Mark thinks of him.

Ok, he isn’t sure why he cares so much, so Jackson just shrugs it off.

They bought noodles, made them at the store and went to a nearby park to eat it. Jackson is kind of happy that he didn’t have to pay lots of money for treating Mark for giving back his phone, this way he can save some money for his college.

“Thanks for giving back my phone,” Jackson says between bites. “Somebody else will have sold it for money.”

“I have enough money, you see,” Mark laughs and something in Jackson’s heart cracks. Ok, this is strange.

“And why don’t you buy noodles for yourself?”

“They will see what I used my money for.” Mark laughs dies, and Jackson really wants to hear that again. It’s a pity that Mark doesn’t laugh that loudly and often at school too. Not that Jackson notice Mark at school too often.

“Oh well, then whatever you want noodles you can ask me,” Jackson isn’t sure where this came from, but he feels good saying that out loud. “I have enough money to buy noodles.”

Mark’s face lights up with a smile that could steal your heart away, and in that moment Jackson realizes why people are so attracted by Mark. He is really handsome; his black hair completes his white face so beautifully, and his doe-like eyes hold so much joy whatever he smiles, but sometimes Jackson noticed sadness as well.

Suddenly, Jackson feels so little and insignificant compared to the other.

“As a thank you, let me take you home, I left my car at school,” Mark says bringing Jackson back to reality. “Ok?”

Jackson left his car home this morning; to save money is the key to college in his world.

“Are you trying bribing me to buy you noodles again?”

“Nope, you already offered.” Mark smiles waving his hand for Jackson to follow him, and strangely Jackson does follow him.

 

 

“I need to buy a present for my mom,” Jackson says two days letter when he meets his friends for a cup of coffee. “Any suggestions?”

“We gathered here to see how the research for the magazine is going,” Jinyoung says putting on the table's a magazine. “I stole it from the rival school.”

“Hello, I need a present for my mom and I don’t have enough money to buy that necklace she saw,” Jackson puts his face into his palms trying to chase away the tears are about to fall. He hates the situation he is into. It’s hard enough for his mom to pay the bills and buy food for them. Jackson wants to help as well, but his mom won’t let him work. Let’s not talk about his father.

“We can borrow some money for you until you have to pay us back,” Bambam says.

“No thank, I see what I can do.” He decided to say and looks up with a wide smile that the other doesn’t return. “Let’s see the stage where we are with the magazine.”

He knows that his friends see behind his fake smile but they learned by now to let Jackson alone when he is behaving like this.

“Ok,” Jinyoung says. “Bambam?”

“I talked with your sis and she said that is better to buy some new clothes because she doesn’t have the latest trends,” Bambam says with a big smile on her face. “But, I decided to bring into play the old clothes, combine them with some men clothes like shirts and accessories and see what I can do. I still need to ask some girls to help me with it.”

“Good job, I knew I can count on you.” Jinyoung takes a sip from his cup. “See if you want you can do more than just some blurry pictures of Mark Tuan.”

“I never knew you have this in you,” Yugyeom laughs receiving a hit from Bambam.

“How is the Mark Tuan interview or whatever you decided to do going on?” Jinyoung asks turning to Jackson.

“Not that good, but I have some pictures of the inside of his house.” Jackson proudly shows his phone. Somehow he feels guilty but he buries it away for the sake of the magazine and his future.

“We need more than that,” Jinyoung says with a serious face. “Speaking of whom, he just entered the café.” He nods his head and everyone turned to watch the said person smiling friendly at his friend.

Jackson’s guilt is started to eat him a bit. He shouldn’t have taken those pictures but he had no choice.

“Guys, I don’t think is a good idea to search for Mark’s life,” Jackson says as every pair of eyes fell on him. “If he wanted the school to know something about him he would have said.”

“That is what journalism is called, Jackson,” Jinyoung says. “Now, stop the nonsense and do your job, you have one more week.”

 

 

Jackson's shoulder is shaken and he looks up to see Mark again, at the same spot he saw him last week. He takes out his earphones and looks at Mark. “Hey,”

“Listening music again?” Mark asks pointing at his earphone. “What are you listening to?”

“There is this new rapper I like to listen, he really has this good song that I try hard to understand but I can’t yet,” Jackson says putting on of the buds into Mark’s ear and one into his and plays the song again.

He finds the lyrics so hard to understand and somehow the voice is getting him in. He rarely finds music that keeps him so captivated.

The song ends and Jackson stops the playlist. “It’s so annoying; I don’t understand why the singer is chasing the person he loves away.”

“It’s not hard to understand, if you look deeper, it’s not about a person he loves, is about a stalker, he never said that he ever loved that person back.”

Jackson gasps at Mark, trying to wrap his mind around what he just said. In a strange way, Mark looks like is right. Wow, he is more than a pretty face in the crowd.

“I think the rapper voice sounds like yours in a way.” Jackson jokes closing his laptop.

“Really? Do you want me to rap something for you?” Mark laugh beside him. “But I don’t guaranty the health of your ears.”

“I am fine, thank you very much.” He packs his laptop and stands up. “Noodles?”

“Yes, please,” Mark replies with a big smile on his face. “Always in for noodles. Those days they give me fish, I am sick of fish.”

“Who are they?” Jackson asks taking in the way of the store. “You always refer as they.”

“My parents,”

“Don’t you get along with them?”

“Not particularly, the only time I see them is at breakfast and dinner.”

This time they end eating their noodles into the store, sitting by a window watching people passing by. They eat in silence, enjoying the sounds the other makes in the meantime.  
Jackson finds strange to find Mark, the popular Mark who everyone adores and follows around being so simple and normal. Every time he had seen Mark in school, he always troughs that the other is so full of himself. Again, he does not see Mark often in school, ok?

The tag the others puts on people are so wrong majority of times, and Jackson learned it now.

“Some night I wish it all will fall off,” Mark says, making Jackson look at him wondering what the other is referring to. “Some night I just stay up and wish that the castle I live in will fall off.”

“You don’t live in a castle, you dummy,” Jackson says, trying to light up the mood. When Mark didn’t give him any positive response he got back at his noodles. “Sorry.”

“That is alright.” Mark sighs looking out of the window. Jackson can see the sadness on his face, and he really wants to wash it away. “Sometimes I could use a friend for a change.”

“You can find a friend in me if you want,” Jackson says without even thinking about his words but now is too late. What is the harm of having a new friend?

“That was never my intention,” Mark replies stuffing his mouth with noodles that went cold by now.

Jackson just stares at him. Ok, Mark doesn’t want a new friend, Jackson isn’t someone who will push the matter, but he finds Mark a lovely person in and out. Mark is losing after all.

“You want a ride back home?”

“That will be alright.”

 

 

  
“If you read those lines carefully, you can practically put yourself into the character shoes,” Mark says caressing the page of a book with his pointing finger.

Jackson looks at that finger more than he should, wonder how it will feel on his skin. When he realize that trough he has, he shakes his head and tries to focus on Mark’s explications. Why those troughs suddenly?

“You see, the author explains that he wears a gray suit and this may mean only one thing, that the character is kind of sad and-“

“Jackson, I need quick help,” Bambam says patting his shoulder to get his attention.

Jackson glares at Bambam and then turns at Mark. “Hey Bammie, meet Mark,”

Bambam eyes go big at the mention of Mark, and even bigger when he sees Mark sitting beside him.

“Nice to meet you,” Mark says extending his hand. “You aren’t trying to take pictures with me again, are you?”

Bambam face goes a light shade of pink while he shakes Mark’s hand. “Sorry about it, but people just wants to see you in the fashion magazine, plus you have a great body.”

“Ok, Ok, enough of it.” Jackson interrupts his friend from embarrassing himself anymore. “What do you need help with?”

“Oh right, we don’t have a place to shoot for the new number and I trough that we can do it at your house.”

“What shoot?” Mark pops into the conversation.

“Bambam works for the school magazine and it’s in charge of the fashion rubric,” Jackson explains turning to Mark. “Anyway, we can’t. I don’t have a place big enough for it.”

“Do you know any free place?” Bambam sits beside them at the table and looks with puppy eyes at Jackson. “Say that you know something.”

“You can use my place,” Mark says as the both boys turn to look at him with stupid faces. “My room is big enough for it and is free.”

 

 

  
“I didn’t know you are friends with the school magazine people,” Mark says.

Jackson and Mark are watching Bambam, Youngjae and Jinyoung setting the place for the shoot, meanwhile, the girls who will be the models are changing in Mark’s bathroom.

“Well, Jinyoung is my boyfriend you saw on my phone.” Jackson laughs, feeling guilty that he lies to Mark. He can’t just say that he is part of the magazine as well because he has the feeling that Mark won’t trust him as much as now.

“Oh, the friend who wanted to make someone jealous.” Mark laughs running his fingers through his black hair. He will look so good on the magazine cover. “I am going to bring some water and cookies, alright?”

“You don’t have to,” Jackson says waving his hand. “Letting us shooting here is more than enough.”

“I’ll be right back.” Mark laughs letting the boys there.

Jackson looks in awe at how big Mark’s room is. It’s almost as much as his apartment.

“He must like you a lot for letting us do this,” Jinyoung says appearing beside him.

“What are you talking about?”

“Can’t you see?” Jinyoung smirk at him turning to look at the other who are arranging the white background. “He was afraid of us before, but now he is even letting us with a camera into his house.” Jin laughs patting Jackson’s back. “I don’t even know how you two started to talk but this is so big, you can get everything from him now.”

 

 

  
Jackson doesn’t know how he ended in Mark’s bed after his friends are gone, but here he is looking at Mark’s ceiling waiting for Mark to turn with some dinner.

His mind keeps drifting to Jinyoung’s words. There is no possible way that Mark likes him that way. But getting back to those words; it feels strange how Mark started to approach him more, how Mark didn’t call the police when he found Jackson is his yard. Jackson shakes his head trying to chase away those thoughts.

But if that is true, what Jackson is doing in Mark’s room, why is Jackson leading Mark on?

“I can hear your brain thinking from the kitchen.” Mark laughs putting a tray of food on his nightstand. “I hope you like seafood.”

“It smells delicious.” Jackson stands and pipes at the food. “You can’t eat noodles but you can eat pasta?”

“I am done questioning my parent’s mind,” Mark says taking a plate from the tray and gives it to Jackson. “Bon appetite.”

“Thank you,” Jackson says starting to eat his food. He usually eats pasta, not on daily base but he never tasted so good pasta before.

He looks up from his plate at Mark, and again Jinyoung’s words come back. Damn his stupid friend. He needs new ones.

He observes with how grace Mark eats like he trained to eat this way. He looks how Mark wraps his lips around the fork, and the way his mouth moves while he chews on the pasta. He doesn’t know why he feels this strange suddenly. Somehow, he can’t take his eyes off, his mind wonders how those lips will feel on his if will be as soft as it looks.  
Why?

Lowering his eyes to the hand that holds the fork, he wonders if it will be as cold as it looks, like made of marble. Somehow Mark looks so fragile.

No, there’s no way he likes Mark back if there is a chance Mark likes him like Jinyoung said. That is just stupid, plain stupid; it’s something that only Jinyoung would have said.  
They finish eating in silence and Mark carried their plates back into the kitchen meanwhile Jackson looks trough Mark’s movies collection.

Mark has an impressive collection; from action to humor. Jackson moves his eyes from the movies to a framed photo with a little kid. He decided that the kid is Mark when he was little. He looks so cute, with a Mickey Mouse shirt. He was cute even back then. Ok, hold on, since when is Mark cute now.

“Get a grip of yourself, Jackson,” He whispers getting back at the movies.

“You can borrow whatever movie you want.” Mark's voice makes Jackson jump a bit. “I watched them a lot of times.”

“Thanks,” Jackson replies. He feels like Mark does too many things for him and in exchange Jackson just gave him some noodles packs.

He watches how Mark jumps on his bed, his hands on his tummy and his eyes up at the ceiling. He looks so angelic like he misses some wings on his back; his black hair in contrast of his blue sheets.

“Strangely,” Mark begins popping up on his elbows to look at Jackson who stands by the shelf with movies. “ I feel like I trust you.” He pops back on the bed, his eyes closed. “I don’t know why, but I do.”

Jackson's heart makes some jumps on his chest and the air left his lungs. He isn’t sure what he feels right now, but all he knows is that he needs to get out of there. First of all, he is a liar and second, he may like Mark in that way. Jinyoung can suck it up.

“I need to get back home before my mom starts to worry.”

 

 

  
“Whom are you hiding from?” Jinyoung asks sitting beside Jackson at the lunch table.

“No one, why?” Jackson asks a bit too quickly, picking from behind his book into the lunch room.

“Because, first of all, you hold your book upside down and second because it’s kind of obvious by how you keep watching around yourself.”

Jackson grits his teeth and turns his book around; he didn’t notice the book until now. “Mark said that he trusts me, and I may like him a bit more,” Jackson confesses looking around. “I run out of his place and I don’t want to face him because I am so ashamed.”

“I don’t see anything out of normal here, but the part of how you run out of his house sounds plain stupid but you are Jackson.” Jinyoung shrugs taking Jackson’s book away from him. “You are acting stupid right now.”

“Jinyoung, you are not helping at all.” Jackson pouts searching refuge behind his friend.

“Look, Jackson –“

 

“Don’t you understand, by the end of the week I have to write an article about him and I have enough information of doing so, but he trusts me and-“  
“Give up on the article.”

Jackson gasps as his friend and hit his head on the table. “You told me the magazine will go down, and I really need the credit; if I make a big impact on the school and my scholarship is practically taken.” He says with his head on the table.

“I don’t know Jackson; you need to make sure he likes you back before you do something stupid,” Jinyoung says patting his back in a friendly way. “Think carefully if you want him to know about you liking him.”

 

 

Jackson lies wide awake in his bed that night thinking about Mark once gain. He isn’t sure how and when he started liking Mark, because like two days ago it was impossible to do so, but know looking back at his heart, he developed some feelings for the other.

It’s strange to even for himself, but the feelings are there and even if he tries to ignore it, Mark is too present in his life to just bury them away. Ignorance isn’t the answer to his problems.

He jumps out of his bed, he checks the time and seeing that it’s just nine past ten, he decided to pay Mark a visit, hoping that Mark isn’t an early bird.

Once he arrived, some maid lets him in knowing Jackson from before and like that he makes his way up to Mark’s room with a throbbing heart and jelly like feet.

He knocks on Mark’s door slowly, afraid to disturb the other from something important. Nothing comes as the reply and he does it again.

“Oh darling, Mark is taking a shower; you go in and wait for him there.” The same maid says passing by Jackson in the hallway. Why didn’t she just tell him that from the beginning?

Jackson pushes Mark’s door open and goes to sit on the bed.

He didn’t make any speech or think of anything to say to Mark, he guesses that going with the flow will be just alright, considering that Jackson is like that. He hopes Mark won’t have anything against it.

Jackson glances around himself trying to calm down his nerves but without any success, when his eyes get caught by and album on his nightstand. Probably, he shouldn’t poke his nose in other’s things, but the curiosity got the best of him.

He picks up the album that he recognize as the new rapper Jackson started to listen, and his mind drifts back in the week when Mark explained the lyrics to Jackson. How easily he could understand the lyrics, how easy they made conversation. Couldn’t he fall in love with some pretty girl who is just as him? But no, he had to fall for Mark Tuan.

Another thing that Jackson finds fascinating about the rapper is his silver mask that he hides his face. Something about him is addictive, not just the song but the curiosity of how he looks like.

He sighs and puts the album back on the night stand, now faced down and a note attached to it caught his attention.

Congratulation on your new track, keep the great work, Mark

-JB

 

Jackson's heart starts to beat wildly as he looks over the note over and over again. The clues are there, but Jackson can’t put them together. There is no way Mark can be the rapper M.T. That will be just, just… right?

He looks back at the album and suddenly everything comes rushing back; the familiar voice, the meaning of the lyrics, and even the black hair if Jackson imagines it.

He looks one last time at the album just to confirm that he hasn’t seen wrong and runs out of there, with his heart in his stomach and his hands shaking so badly.

He finds himself back into his room, thinking about Mark again.

Jinyoung’s words from the beginning come back again; the way he wants to save the magazine, the way Jinyoung firm voice tells him to write an article about Mark Tuan and make it interesting. This is his chance of a college far away from here, this is the chance that for sure will grant him even a post in every editing team.

Just think about the college kid who revealed M.T’s secret. This title can make the headlines for weeks.

 

 

  
“My maid told me that you were at our house yesterday night,” Mark's voice stated Jackson. “Why didn’t you wait up for me?”

Jackson tights his hold into his phone that holds in his hands and tries to think of an answer, of anything to tell Mark or even to a way of acting around him. But he feels helpless and nothing comes to his mind.

“Look, Jackson, you don’t have to feel the pressure of the things I told you before about trusting you, is just me feeling that way, that is all.”

Mark sits beside him and smiles.

Jackson wants to shout for Mark to stop being so, so… so lovable and perfect.

“Why are you hanging around me if you clearly told me before that you don’t want to be friends?” Jackson asks, looking long at Mark. “I don’t know what to think of your actions.”

“Whatever, I don’t care anymore.” Mark sighs and puts his hand in his palms. His face suddenly becomes afraid and hard to read. Jackson never saw Mark this way. “I like you, that is why I said that.” Mark's voice is just a whisper, but Jackson clearly heard that.

Ok, Jackson expected that answer, but being confirmed by that person is overwhelming. His heart feels crazy right now thinking of how Mark likes him, of how Mark risked anything just because he likes him.

“I don’t need any response or anything of that sort, but please let me hang around you.”

“Why do you like me? There’s nothing special about me.”

“There was this time when a boy was looking at a baby bird looking lost around the school yard. He fed her with his own food and looked so happy while doing so. He was beautiful and radiated trust, and I wanted to know that boy better.”

Mark words hit Jackson right through his heart. “Me?”

Mark doesn’t reply, he just nods his head while looking at Jackson differently that he even been, or is Jackson who didn’t notice it before? It’s so overwhelming thinking about confession. Last week Jackson didn’t even think about love or anything implicit, but now he practically likes someone and knowing that the other likes him back it’s still surreal.  
“Mark,” Jackson whispers while his feels the butterflies dancing around in his belly, while his hands are still shaking slightly from that much emotion.

“Anyway,” Mark smiles standing up, with a smile on his face; a smile that Jackson sees as a sad smile. “I like you even if you wanted an interview from me, even if you hung around me because you want an article.”

“Wow do you-“

“I am not an idiot Jackson, not when I like someone,” Mark says, waving his hand. “See you around.”

Jackson is left staring into nothing as he tried to process what Mark said to him. Mark knew and Mark didn’t care, Mark was willing to risk everything to know Jackson better. His feelings are so conflicted right now. Yes, he knows that he likes Mark too, but he isn’t sure if he likes Mark enough to make him give up on his breakthrough article.

 

 

  
Friday afternoon, Jackson finds himself lying in his bed thinking about the last two weeks events. He thought about it constantly, he couldn’t just brush it away. Sometimes he feels like living a dream and he is about to wake up anytime, sometimes he feels like the world is pranking him.

He is brought back to reality by his phone which keeps ringing on his nightstand. Jackson runs his fingers through his hair and answers it. “Yes Jinyoung,”

“You sound like Mars is about to crash on Earth,” Jinyoung laughs over the line. “Anyway, I need your article by tomorrow afternoon, ok? I know that Mark is out of the equation, but we need to write something on the magazine. Take an interview with the math teacher, biology one, I don’t care, but we need something.”

“Alright,” Jackson says. He is tired of everything, of lying, of liking someone. “I will send something to you tomorrow, but Jinyoung, what if the students won’t buy it and the magazine will be thrown away?”

“I know, I’ve been thinking and I came up with an idea but I don’t think you’ll be alright with it, so yeah.” Jinyoung sighs. Jackson can practically see him running his palms over his face trying to maintain that leader mode on.

“What is it?”

“Let’s take an interview to Mark’s friend. I know some connection and maybe he will be willing to do so, of course, if I don’t ask questions about Mark.”  
“Connection as in the guy who follows you with his eyes?”

Mark’s friend, JB, the one who sent Mark the album with congratulations on the back. Jackson holds Mark secret on his hands, and he is torn between giving it away and keeping it in.

“You think you can do it?” Jackson asks.

“I don’t know if he isn’t willing to help, then I am going to interview you and the end of story.”

“But the magazine,”

“I don’t know Jackson, this is all we can do for now.”

“What if I write about everything I know about Mark?” Jackson says in a whisper. “Would that save us?”

“Of course, we have the guaranty that the female students will by it.”

“You try to contact Mark’s friend meanwhile I see if I get the courage to write about it, ok?”

 

 

Jackson looks at his article. Good structures, with two pictures, one with Mark and one with M.T comparing both of them. If people can relate the dots it will give Mark away in an instant. They look so identical, the rapper has just his face covered by a mask, but the rest is Mark.

He looks twice, third times over it to see if has any typos or any grammatical mistakes.

What is done is done.

 

 

Jackson has his head buried into Jinyoung neck meanwhile he tries to contain his emotions in check. “Jinyoung, I am afraid, what if the magazine will be taken away from us?”  
“Calm down, Jackson, everything will be alright, at least with the fashion rubric.” Bambam say as Jinyoung hits him under the table. “What? Mark gave us some of his clothes and people love him anyway.”

“You are not helping,” Youngjae adds patting Jackson’s head. “I know that is important for you because you want to do journalism, but keep your faith.”

Jackson sighs opening his bottle of water. Even a small bottle reminds him of Mark. If someone will have told him that liking someone will hurt he will have said pass.

“Do you think the-“

“Hey guys,”

Jackson is startled by Mark’s voice, his eyes going wide as he turns to look at him.

“Can I talk to you for a bit, Jackson?”

Mark has this polite smile on his face that can keep you from walking in traffic and eventually get hit by a car. Since when Jackson started to think so poetic about Mark? Fuck his life.

“Yes, of course, Jackson would like to talk to you,” Jinyoung says pushing Jackson from his seat.

He lands on his butt, hitting it pretty badly; he just hopes that it won’t bruise. “Jinyoung, can’t you be gentler with my little cute butt?”

Mark offers his hand to Jackson and he accepts him. Mark doesn’t even let’s go as they walk somewhere far away from his friends. It feels so right and simple, but Jackson holds it with so much force because he knows that Mark will let go soon.

“Would you buy me noodles?” Mark asks walking.

Jackson follows, not sure where they are going. “Yes… sure,” Jackson replies remembering his promise to buy Mark noodles any time the other wants. It feels years ago, not just days.

They sit in silence at one of the store tables eating. It’s kind of intense sitting there with Mark, but not awkward.

“I’ve seen the new number of the magazine,” Mark says and Jackson’s breathing stops. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“For keeping my secret,” Mark smiles taking Jackson’s free hand in his. “I knew that I could trust you.”

Mark’s hands feel warm around his hand, his eyes are holding Jackson gaze with so many emotions and Jackson can feel the wings of the butterflies waking up in his stomach. Mark trusted him with his secret, Mark never doubted on him; that’s something Jackson can’t find in anyone.

“I’ve seen my album face down when I left it face up,” Mark let’s go of his hand and Jackson already misses the warm. “I knew that you won’t do anything to blow up my cover.”

“How?” Jackson finds himself to ask.

“I can feel it, can’t you?”

“Mark,” Jackson says taking a deep breath. “Would you walk with me for a while?”

They end walking side by side in the nearby park. Jackson heart in his stomach trying to find the right words to say, maybe, just maybe he can keep Mark close to him. He wants Mark by his side. He doesn’t care about Mark secret, he doesn’t care if Mark is popular and he isn’t. He will try to make their family accept them, even when the society will be against them Jackson is willing to fight.

“Mark,” Jackson stops taking Mark’s wrist in his hand. “Thank you for trusting me.”

“No need to thank me.” Mark has this dazzling smile that stops the time.

Jackson let’s go of the wrist and slowly, trying not to look that bold, he wraps his arms around Mark’s torso and takes him into a hug. It feels so right, so warmly; that kind of amazing that you don’t want to let go; like he is finally hugging a person that he missed those past years.

Mark returns the hug, wrapping an arm around Jackson’s waist and the other around Jackson’s shoulders. Right now, Jackson doesn’t want to be in another place. He did the right choice; he just knows now standing here wrapped in Mark’s arms.

He can smell Mark’s aftershave and Mark’s scent, and he is already in love with this feeling; that feeling that you don’t want to let go. It feels homey.

“So, would you like to listen to the new track I am working on?” Mark asks.

Jackson let’s go of the hug and looks deeply into Mark’s eyes. “Not before I am telling you that I like you too, very much I may say.” Jackson holds his breath waiting for Mark’s reply. “So yeah, I like you.” He never expected to say those words to someone, but here is he in a deserted park on a night confessing his feelings.

Mark's eyes have this sparkle that Jackson loves very much as he looks at him adorable. He is cute in many different ways.

When Mark leans in to kiss Jackson, Jackson closes his eyes feeling the soft lips of Mark touching him. The way Mark moves his head so slowly depending the kiss leaves Jackson responding with the same passion.

The rest disappears around them as they continue to kiss for the first time.

 

 

  
Jackson isn’t sure how he ended on his back on Mark’s bed with half of Mark on top of him. They were listening to Mark’s new track and playing around with some grapes. Now, he is kissing Mark with so much passion the other is kissing him.

Mark breaks the kiss and looks down at Jackson. Jackson holds his eyes with a small smile on his face that matches Mark’s. He couldn’t be happier right now. He just feels light, like floating on a cloud. He wants to do a jump of joy and hold Mark close all his life. Something about Mark’s warm body gives him this homey feels.

Mark leans in and places a soft kiss on the corner of Jackson’s mouth, then runs his lips down his throat teasing the skin. “I never thought I will meet someone like you.” Mark whisper as he presses his lips fully on Jackson, kissing him again, leaving him breathless.

Jackson responds to the kiss wrapping his hand around Mark’s torso keeping him on top of him. The weight of Mark feels so right on him.

He runs his hands down Mark’s back; slowly not to scare Mark he pushes one of his hands under Mark’s shirt, riding it up. The other’s skin is so hot under his fingers. The skin is so soft and Jackson can imagine the way it may sparkle in the light of the room.

Mark breaks the kiss and smirk. “You like to tease, huh?”

“No?” Jackson says, pretending to not know what Mark is talking about, hiding a smirk behind pouting lips.

Mark is so close to his face that Jackson can feel his breath dancing on his lips. The older places a kiss to Jackson’s lips and moves down to his throat then moves his way up under Jackson’s ear, biting at it slightly.

Jackson keeps running his hands up and down Mark’s back, feeling the way Mark’s muscles flex under his fingers. He is kind of proud of himself when Mark let’s little breaths on his skin.

In return, Mark places little kisses on his face making Jackson laugh.

This moment is more than perfect for Jackson.

 

 

Their journey wasn’t an easy one, not when Jackson had to stay at a journalism college in Korea because he didn’t have enough credit and money to travel like he wanted to do. Mark offered to give him money, even if that meant that they will have to part ways, but Jackson refused. He doesn’t like when Mark pays most of their dates, Jackson is allowed to buy when they eat noodles, but Jackson is alright with that.

He saved enough money to buy Mark a wrist watch that Mark admired on one of their dates because Mark deserves to be spoiled like that.

Jackson’s mom wasn’t that against their relationship, she just warned Jackson to be careful, but in the end, she ended liking Mark more than she likes Jackson.

Mark’s family didn’t care that much about whom Mark is dating if he keeps being M.T without anyone knowing. They met Jackson once but didn’t make any conversation. They liked Jackson in some weird kind of way, but Jackson doesn’t question their weird behavior if Mark doesn’t.

Mark chose a college as well, but if Jackson won’t be there to keep him afloat he will have given up on it. He tries to balance the time in college and his career as well as trying to be always there for Jackson and spent how much time with him.

Two years letter, they moved together into an apartment that Mark’s parents bought for them.

“I say we need a dog,” Mark says as he has his head placed on Jackson lap eating popcorn.

“No, we don’t need any dog around,” Jackson argued back. Mark wants a dog so badly, but Jackson is sure that the other doesn’t have the time for a dog.

“Yes, we need it, our little kid.”

“You will ignore it after some time, I know you how easily you get bored with things.”

“I never got bored with you,” Mark says and Jackson leans in to place a kiss on Mark’s lips.

Their mundane life isn’t boring at all, not when they have each other love.

Jackson is just happy the way his life turned to be. Maybe he didn’t get into his dream college but he has his dream love.

 

THE END


End file.
